Is it worth getting your DM certification for the education?

[divepsych]

I was certified as a NAUI scuba diver in south Florida in 1971 when I was 18 years old. Back then, the confined water training and open water check out dives were intentionally stressful and anxiety provoking.

Twenty-eight years of diving later (1999) when my kids began to dive, I decided to get additional training and went through PADI Advanced Diver, Rescue Diver, and Divemaster training in the same summer. (I've also taken other courses.) That also led to my researching dive panic, in part, in response to so many instructer complaints about what they perceived as the dumbing down of training to attract more customers and more profits. I was also being asked to help "rehab" traumatised certified divers who wanted to resume diving but were terrified. As a psychiatrist, I already knew the basic principles of "treatment" of Anxiety-Panic-Phobia-PTSD-like conditions and the divemaster training gave me the level of diving skills and supervision skills I needed to be helpful. It also gave me more credibility as a dive professional. I am a big believer in "in vivo" treatment. Since then, I have helped a number of panic divers return to diving.

When I attended the DAN Diver Fatality Workshop in Spring 2010 in Durham, there was a very strong confrontation between some of the old school divers and the heads of the training agencies from around the world. The complaint was that certifications were being given to divers at such a low level of proficiency that they were unprepared for any stressful event they would eventually encounter. The training agency response was that the first certification level was only to prepare divers to take additional training. Unfortunately, the vast majority of recreational divers never obtain any training after their first certification.

Having said all that, years of practice does not make perfect, practice makes permanent. The skills development in the divemaster course with one-on-one instruction broke a lot of my bad habits and made me a much better diver. Afterall, you have to attain demonstration level skills so you can help teach students and model skills for groups of divers for whom you will someday be responsible. I also learned what I needed in order to watch over my own kids and their friends and to confidently guide other divers, whether newbies or seasoned divers. Tech diving training also teaches skills, but usually does not include leadership or supervision training or experience.

 

[ccgutier]

I did the DM course for that same purpose, it was good to assist in the training of others and you get the chance of leading and following others on a dive. Seeing their mistakes helped me remember training and there's a degree of responsability, as you are there mainly watching over others.
I think the most important thing was the 100+ dives I did, for under $1000 (with hotel for a month) in Utila, Honduras.
Padi is also going to ask you to pay yearly to mantain your DM status and will mail you stuff to keep you updated.
Hope this helps!

 

[stevenl]

I live and have a full time job in Hawaii so I can't do the professional option (no matter how much I wish I could). I'm considering trying to find a place (I have a 1st choice) that will let me work towards my DM cert so that I can get the education that will help make me a better diver. I think learning how to teach or assist teaching others how to dive will help make me better diver too. Is the price/effort worth it? Should I just dive and focus on gaining more experience or does gaining more education while I dive make sense too?

Master Diver seems like a wast of $$$ doesn't do much for me other than assure I learn some other specialties that may or may not be of real value to me as a diver...

Thoughts, opinions?

When I did my DM course I had no intention of working professionaly in the field, just did it for the experience, to become a better diver. And I never regretted that choice, did the job for me.

 

[trekdiver]

Master Diver, Master Scuba Diver, each training association has their own version. NAUI it is a special class on its own (but can be obtained after a new diver has only 14 dives, unless that's changed), with other associations such as PADI it requires 5 specialties, Advanced, Rescue, and at least 50 dives.

As has been noted the Divemaster course is for leadership. Usually you'll vastly improve your theoretical knowledge, but not always sure that it will increase your true diving skills.

What inproves your actual dive abilities, is to get more varied diving experiences. Divemasters are often either assisting Open Water Diver classes, or leading new or relatively inexperienced divers. So while there is an increased level of responsibility for the safety of the divers under supervision, the diving itself is often within shallower, easier conditions. (of course realize that a DM in the waters of Vancouver is dealing with a very different environment than a DM diving off Guam).

In the end it doesn't really matter which association you go with. What matters is the skill, knowledge, and attitude of the instructor you have. You should, you want, to find an instructor who has real dive experiences in many different conditions, and he or she loves to impart all knowledge and learning from their experiences to their dive students.

When I train my DM candidates, I actually take them through a Master Scuba Diver program. As part of my DM program they take at least the following specialties: Nitrox, Navigation, Deep, Night, Search and Recovery, Computer / Multilevel Diving.

 

[searider]

Take the DM course, i would help you for broad knowledge in scuba diving. such as you limitation, the theory(answering some questions of other divers by book), diving skills, equipment, proper way to assist other divers, confidence, benefits(like discount in buying equipment and fun dive),
it will lead you for diving business, to become instructor someday.
In short, you will gain more benefits once you become DM...Keep active diver, ask advise from PRO.

 

[MSDT476614]

As has been said in earlier replies. There is a cookie cutter approach, where the cost is usually lower and CDCs / ITCs / 5 Star Centres will take your money and push the syallabus onto you. These courses can be completed in 1 month or less in Asia. Then there are those who take up to 2 years to effectively train a DMT (Divemaster Trainee).

By PADI / SSI Standards to obtain your card is easy. Simply complete the syallabus and fulfill basic dive fitness requirements and voila! To become and excellent divemaster involves true knowledge development beyond the textbook and this takes lots of time and lots of dives in varied conditions.

MD / MSD ratings are a card collection process to many dis-illusioned divers and this service is provided by more commercially oriented 'teachers'. But then again, they're out to make a living. The better instructors (those that tend to share more knowledge) tend to be those not so much in need of 'taking care of the bottom line' but rather more about 'sensible and enjoyable bottom time.' At the DM level, what is important is the application of theory rather then just being able to pass the theory classes / exams. Theoretical application requires that DMTs spend a long time accompanying their instructors on both training and fun trips to observe and learn execution of topics such as:

1. dive logistics - including simple boat handling / rules / mechanics / compressor operation
2. dive organisation - including equipment (simple servicing)
3. buddy pairing (sometimes you have to split couples due to inherent / perceived strength / weaknesses)
4. dive planning - knowing your diver's limits, knowing the dangers of the sites, the interesting points of the site
5. knowledge on sea creatures - being able to point out elusive creatures to divers and share with them a little of these creatures' lifestyles
6. excellent observation skills as a dive leader - you have the lives of others in your hands so please do not do an 'Open Water' repeat - referring to that movie where 2 divers got left out in the cold
7. excellent communication skills to share what divers need to know before/after dives
8. exemplary rescue skills with good fundamentals in diving medicine (yes, you sort of have to play doctor) and this includes a fully stocked FAK with specialised diving medicine
9. a deep understanding of Decompression Theory which is 99% wrongly taught by all recreational agencies up to the DM level (you require this knowledge to plan and execute dives for the group you are leading) - if you can relate the acronym 'RGBM' to any basic dive table used (no decompression table - PADI, NAUI, SSI) you probably got it right!
10. an ability to take the flowers along with the s**t as your divers either marvel at your abilities or demand so much of you that is inhumanly possible

The difference between a real Divemaster and Tech Fundies course? The leadership component. A dive pro takes pleasure from introducing the underwater world to others - the smiles on their faces put one on yours! Its such a life changing experience you want to share it with others, safely and sensibly.



Finally, as a dive professional, you need to keep the industry alive through your actions. Not kill the industry.

 

[dsdiving]

Like most others, I took my Divemaster enroute to becoming an Instructor. Since then (I haven't taught in ten years) I hardly ever show my DM card - especially on Commercial Charters.( Now I'm wondering where my DM card is...hmmm)
My wife took her DM with me some eighteen years ago but dropped out half way through due to being pregnant with our first. She may not have all the certs that many of my other Buddies have but she's every bit the caliber of Diver they are.
As already stated in other posts getting your DM won't necessarily benefit you unless you're going the Professional route. Becoming a DM won't necessarliy make you a better Diver. There are lots of people out there with the Card but I doubt I would want to Dive with them let alone recommend any one else to. And there are many people who have things like common sense, safe diving practices, excellent bouyancy and are just fun to dive with (things you won't neccessarily learn in a DM course).
If Iwere in your shoes I would just continue Diving and having fun. Learn what you can from competant Buddies and Mentors. Take the odd course like bouyancy control, wreck diving, whatever interests you. This Sport can get expensive enough without spending a whole bunch of money on unneccary courses.

 

[Kingpatzer]

Consider finding a group of active divers in your area and diving with them and learning through mentoring. We so often get fixated on classes as being the path to knowledge and improvement, when the reality is that such methods for imparting skills is really not particularly ideal. A good mentor with whom you dive regularly will help you along more efficiently and more effectively than any class can simply because you'll be getting in the practice time necessary to really master the skills you already have been taught.

 

[the Hermit]

You should really consider your increased legal liability if you take a DM or Instructor course !!!


I had the same thought years ago when I ran out of interesting courses I wanted to take. On the first day of my new DM class they handed out the "insurance" form for DM coverage and I handed it back explaining I wouldn't need insurance because I was not going to actually lead any trips or train any students - I was just taking the classes to develop stronger skills. The instructor told me I would need insurance and explained that as a Divemaster or Instructor I would have a new "standard of duty". When you are certified or licensed as a "professional" the law holds you to a much higher standard of duty, meaning you are legally responsible to do much more than a normal citizen, to help or care for everyone around you. It is basically like being a doctor who "must" stop and give aid to people in an accident, or they are held as negligent, and may be sued for what happens to the accident victim.

The classroom instructor called in the shop owner and they shared their experience. They explained to the class that when a diving accident or death is investigated, the lawyers will check every diver's certification, on the liveaboard or in the vicinity, and include "every" DM and diving pro they can find, in the lawsuit. This applies even if the pro is just there on their own vacation, having fun. The lawyers and legal types will then argue that every pro in the area had a legal responsibility ("standard of duty") to help the victim, and if they can show the professional missed a chance to help, they will try to get damages from them.


In the US, and other litigious cultures, this is a pretty big deal. If you are from an area where the standard of duty is less, or the legal system doesn't support a shotgun approach to lawsuits, I would expect the issues to be completely different. It is one of the reasons I have often chosen far away destinations - they don't have the liabilities, so they allow more freedom. And I, for one, think divers should understand the risks of diving, and be held personally responsible for their own choices. A lot of damage has been done to diving in general, by lawyers who look for every excuse to hold others responsible for the divers own mistakes or foolishness. But that's another topic/soapbos for a different thread.

End of the story = I was the only person there just for the training, so I was the only one that left - and got a refund. I checked with a few other instructors and divemasters and they all confirmed the higher duty was understood and accepted by them. This is an important part of why the people who provide diving services are generally so serious about being listened to. They are often putting more on the line, than most people do for their jobs.

good luck and good diving... the Hermit

 

[endurodog]

In that same way of thinking then taking a rescue diver course would make you more liable.

I would be curious to know if a non working rescue diver/ dive master/instructor was on a vacation trip or fun dive just as a diver, where an accident occured and was ever sued?

A counter arguement to Hermits situation would be I'm not a dive master in good standing because I'm not caring insurance so really not a dive master.